The invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for manipulating groups or arrays of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for packing block-shaped arrays of plain or filter cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, cheroots or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for draping block-shaped arrays of cigarettes or the like into blanks of paper, cardboard, metallic foil, plastic foil or other sheet material.
It is known to drape arrays of cigarettes or like rod-shaped articles into blanks of paper, metallic foil or the like while the arrays are held by a rotary turret in a packing machine. Packing machines of such type are described and shown, for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,956,870 to Kruse et al. 4,548,019 to Kruse, 3,735,767 to Kruse et al., 3,750,676 to Kruse et al., and 3,805,477 to Kruse et al. Arrays of cigarettes or like rod-shaped articles of the tobacco industry can be assembled in a manner as disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pats. Nos. 4,362,235 to Erdmann, 4,471,866 to Erdmann et al., and 4,503,967 to Erdmann et al. Blanks are or can be obtained by subdividing elongated webs of suitable wrapping material into individual portions of required length, for example, by resorting to severing apparatus of the type disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,624 to Kruse et al. The disclosures of the above-enumerated patents are incorporated herein by reference.